comstock



(No Model.) 1 R. H. OOMSTOOK.

HAMMER RAIL FOR PIANO ACTIONS.

Patented Sept. 4, 1894.

' UNITED STATES ROBERT I-I.

PATENT Orricn.v

COMSTOCK, OF IVORYTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE COMSTOCK, CHENEY & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HAM MER-RAIL FOR PIANO-ACTIONS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 525,591, dated September 4, 1894.

Application filed June 18, 1894.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. COMSTOCK, of Ivoryton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Ham ther-Rails for Piano-Actions; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in- I Figure 1, a broken plan View of a piano. ha m mer-rail constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a view thereof in end elevation; Fig. 3, a sectional view thereof.

My invention relates to an improvementin piano-actions, and more particularly to the hammer-rails thereof, the object being to provide simple, cheap and elfective means for securing the sheet-metal shells of such rails to them, so as to prevent the shells from rattling in case the rails shrink.

lVith these ends in View, my invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown,the hammer-rail A, which is made of wood, is provided with an ornamental sheet-metal shell or binding B, the edges of which are clasped over the edges of the rail. The said shell is firmly secured to the face of the rail against rattling, in case the rail shrinks, by means of externally threaded annular bushings C, one of which is shown. Said bushings are constructed at their outer ends with overhanging flanges C, which engage with the outer face of the shell at points around the circular opening B formed therein to permit the bushing to be entered into the circular chamber A formed to receive it in the rail. The external thread of the bush- Serial No. 514,9 33. (N0 model.)

shell, the same may be tightened again by further turning in the bushing. A buffer-screw D passed through the bushing and into the rail, is constructed at its outer end with a circular head D, corresponding in external diameter to the internal diameter of the bushing, which forms a bearing for it. The said head is faced, as at d for the application of a key for turning it. A threaded counterbore (1 formed in the said head, receives the stem 6 of a rubber buffer E, which is held in place in the head by the biting into its stem of the threads of the said counter-bore. The buffer coacts, in the ordinary manner, with the action-bracket of the piano to deaden the sound of contact with the bracket.

By means of myinvention I am enabled to readily overcome the rattling of the metal shell of the hammer-rail, and to compensate for any shrinkage of the same.

It is apparent that I am not limited in carryin g out my invention to the exact construction herein shown and described. Thus, the flange of the bushing might have asquare 1nstead of a beveled inner face. I have shown only one bushing and buffer-screw, but it will be understood that any number of them may be used as required.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a piano hammerrail, of a sheet-metal shell applied thereto, an annular bushing entering the rail through the shell and engaging with the same so as to hold it firmly against the rail, a buffer-screw inserted into the rail through the said bushing, and a rubber buffer mounted in the outer end of the said screw, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a piano hammerrail, of a sheet-metal shell applied thereto, an

annular, externally threaded bushing intro-' duced into the rail through the shell with which it engages to hold the shell against the rail, a bufier-screw passing through the said bushing, and constructed at its outer end with a circular head adapted in external d1- ameter tofit into the internal diameter of the specification in the presence of two subscribbushing, and having its said head constructed ing witnesses.

with a threaded socket or opening, and a rub- 1 i i q ber buffer having a stem adapted to fit into ROB l L 5 ihe said threaded socket or opening, substan- "Witnesses:

tiaily as set forth. LILLIAN D. KELSEY,

In testimony whereof I have signed this G110. D. SEYMOUR. 

